Hypodermic needle holder



March 22, 1960 T. R. PENN 2,929,510

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE HOLDER Filed March 2, 1955 2 Sheets-She et 1 J'Ts-J.

THOMAS R. PENN ATTORNEY INVENTOR v March 22, 1960 T. R. PENN HYPODERMIC NEEDLE2 HOLDER IN VENTOR THOMAS R. PENN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1955 ATTORNEY United States Patent HYPODERMIC NEEDLE HOLDER Thomas R. Penn, Decatur, Ga., assiguor to Wil-Pen Company, Decatur, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application March 2, 1955, Serial No. 491,651

2 Claims. (Cl. 211-60) This invention relates to holders for hypodermic needles and the like and is particularly concerned with holding means designed to hold the needles during sterilization and to present such needles for convenient engagement with a syringe.

One of the more difiicult problems encountered in the use of hypodermic syringes is that of applying and securing the hypodermic needle to the tip of the syringe. Two types of needle securement are provided in syringe tips as commonly manufactured. In one instance, a plain tapering tip of substantially less diameter than the barrel of the syringe is used, such tips may be of metal or formed from the glass of the syringe barrel; in the latter case a portion of the tip surface is frequently ground to increase its frictional grip with the internal bore of the head of the hypodermic needle. In the application of needles to such plain tips, a slight rotary motion is employed to insure tight securement. In another type of syringe, securement of the needle is by way of an internally gripping sleeve which receives a Luer hub or flange found on the needle head and by helical flights or threads engages the corners of the flange forming a thread-like engagement. Such constructions are sold under the trademark Luer-Lek. In either instance, it will be readily seen that relative rotary motion between syringe and needle head is essential in providing a tight leak-proof connection therebetween.

In present practice, the needles are loosely held in racks or tubes which permit free rotation of the needles. For engaging the syringe with needles so held, the tip is inserted in the head of the needle and forceps are applied to the head to retain the needle against rotation while the plain tip is thrust home with a turning action or while the Luer-Lek sleeve is threaded over the Luer-Lek hub of the needle head. Where individually packaged needles, in sterilized conditions, are to be applied, common practice is to insert the end of the syringe in the open mouth of the needle receptacle, then invert the receptacle and shake or vibrate the same until the tip is received within the throat of the needle head; thereafter the needle is withdrawn, forceps are applied to the head and the needle is thus held While the tip is firmly seated either by thread-like engagement of the Luer- Lok or the twisting frictional seizure of the plain tip. Needless to say, such procedures are inconvenient, time consuming and dangerous both as to loss of needle or contamination thereof.

It is therefore among the primary objects of my invention to provide a novel and improved hypodermic needle holder which will facilitate the attachment thereof to a hypodermic syringe.

Another object is to provide a hypodermic needle I may be applied thereto either by plain tip insertion or Luer-Lok sleeve encompassment and which will thus facilitate the application of a needle to a syringe.

The objects of the invention also include that of providing novel and improved needle receptacles for mounting a plurality of needles of various sizes and styles while at the same time maintaining the needles against rotation so as to facilitate the attachment thereto of the syringe.

Furthermore, an important object of the invention is to provide a hypodermic needle receptacle of the type referred to for either packaging or distributing needles from the manufacturer or for the sterilization by boiling an autoclave of individual or multiple groups of needles.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is a disassembled view of a Luer tip hypodermic syringe and needle.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the syringe and needle of Fig. 1 in fully assembled relation.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a Luer-Lek type syringe and the needle to be assembled therewith.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 showing the assembly of the Luer-Lok syringe and needle of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a conventional hypodermic needle such as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the needle head taken on the line 66 of Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a multi-disk type of needle holder embodying the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the holder of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the holder of Figs. 7 and 8 taken on lines 99 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to- Fig. 9 showing the holder thereof mounted within a closed container for transportation purposes and/or to preclude contamination of sterilized needles.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of another form of holder embodying the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of that form of needle: holder presented in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional View through the: holder of Figs. 11 and 12 taken on line 1313 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a vertical-cross-sectional view of an individual needle holder formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are horizontal sectional views taken on the lines 15-15, 1616 and 1717 of Fig. 14,. respectively.

In general terms, the structures here presented as illustrative of the present inventive concept may be described as including a support for the head of a hypodermic needle by which the needle may be vertically suspended and by which the head of the needle is not only retained against rotation but is also mounted for free access to the upper end thereof of the tip of the hypodermic syringe or of the sleeve of a Luer-Lek syringe. In one embodiment of the invention, the needle holding element comprises concentrically arranged series of holes for the reception of the needles and such series are surrounded by head engaging arcuate means precluding rotation of the needles while in the holder but permitting access thereto of either the LuenLok syringe orthe Luer tip syringe. In one case, such holder is formed with superposed registering disks with holes for gripping the needle heads while in another case the holder is formed with an apertured plate having concentric rings or flanges upstanding to accomplish the same purpose.

needle heads.

The iiivention also embraces the idea of individual needle containers in which the constructionis of the same general nature for restraining the needle during reception and securement ofthe syringe.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, ahypodermic syringe is shown as indicated by the numeral 20. In this form of syringe a Luer tip 21 of frusto-conical form is provided.

This tip is to be received in the corresponding frustoconical recesses 22 of the head 23 of the needle'24. Fig. 2 illustrates this relationship of parts. As indicated, where the syringe and its tip are of glass, a roughened or ground glass exterior provides a secure frictional lock between the tip and the needle head. In Figs. 3 and 4, there is illustrated the needle and syringe relationship of a Luer-Lok type of combination. In this case, the

'end' of the syringe and its .tip 25 are usually metallic -and' there is provided around the tip 25 a Luer-Lok .fsleeve26 which is adapted to engage overthe head 22 of "the needle. The sleeve with an internal flight or risers 1 27 engages the corners 28 of the hub 29 to raise the same 'by relative rotation and thus force the tip '25 into the seat 22 by relative rotation as distinct from 'the direct "rectilinear thrust and Slight locking rotation of the plain In that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7, 8,

9 and 10, the needle holder is fabricated from a super provided with equidistant circularly arranged sets of apertu'res 36. The apertures 36 are somewhat rectangular;

" e aarm removable closure 42 is provided so that sterilized needles may be retained for transportation Within the container by a suitable seal between the container and its closure. When the needles are to be used, the closure .42 may be removed; the needle hubs are thus presented'for selective use by engagement with a syringe as in the manner indicated above. As noted, by this construction, the holder'may be readily removed from the container and needles mounted therein may be suitably sterilized while mopnted in the holder.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. ll, 12 and 13, an integral holder is formed of suitable material such as plastic. The holder body 50 is-formed with coaxial upwardly extending annular flanges 51 forming grooves 52 communicating with "apertures 53 in the horizontal base portion 54 of the holder. As indicated in Fig. 13, the adjoining walls of the flanges 51 provide engaging surfaces for the outer and inner walls of a needle mounted within the grooves ,52' while the 'apertures 53 receive the rounded lower extension of the head. The needles are thus'held in vertical position and against rotation while the upper portion including the Luer flange thereof is exposed for the reception of a syringe. As-in that form .of the invention previously described, spacing .and' curvature of the flanges'are suchas to accommodate all different sizes of needle heads, and the needles may be arranged as to length by segregation in one or the other groove. To accommodate manipulation of the however, their side walls 37 are formed along radial lines with respect to the center of the disc, and their inner and outer edges 38 are formed by concentric curvatures with the center of the disc ;as a center of curvature. Such apertures 36 will accommodate various sized Preferably the size of hole 36 is uniform for each concentric circle thereof so as to orient the relationship of needle sizes. The arcuate distance between the sides 37 of the apertures is greater than the radial distance between the inner and outer edges 38,

?and thus, the needle head may be retainedwith the'longer flat side juxtaposed with respect to the arcuate edges 38 while the recessed sides of the needle'are juxtaposed to theradial sides of the aperture, and with such apertures,

all commercial sizes of needles can be accommodated by a singlesize aperture. 7

p In alignment with each of the apertures of the'upp'er plate '30'-and the intermediate plate 31, there is provided a circular aperture 39 in'the lower plate '32, the lower apertures 39 receiving the circular downward protruding stem of the head of the needle while the wider portion of the head rests upon the lower plate so as'to retain the head of the needle with the throat and flange or hub exposed above the top of the upper plate.

by the sides 'of the apertures .of the upper and intermediate plate so as to present the head of the needle for easy reception of either the plain Luer tip or the Luer-Lok." In either instance, the needle is retained against rotation so that rotary movement of'the syringe securely lock the needle thereto.

EIn that form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 to 10,

inclusive, the-holder assembly-is adapted to be removably received within a container 40. The lower plate "352 of the assembly beingadapted to rest uponan inwardlyextending 'annularbeadd-r of the container. A

needle holder of this form of the invention, an integral knob 55 is provided rising upwardly from the center of the holder. This form' of holder is adapted to be removably received within a supporting shell '56. A bayonet-type joint may be provided as at 57. As here indicated, the bottom of the shell 56 is open. The edge 'providinga support for the holder and the structure permits ready sterilization by admitting free flow of sterile fluid through the holder.

The present invention also contemplates individual needle holders as indicated in Fig. 14 in which the holder comprises a simple cylindrical body 60 having a central 'elongated'recess 61 for the needle proper.

An enlarged recess 62 constituting a counterbore for recess 6 1 is provided to receive the enlarged lower circular portion of the needle head. Above the recess 62, there is "provided a counterbore 63 of further enlarged dimension which is adapted to receive the lower body portion of the head of the needle and to support the same with the upper end of the head and the Luer flange protruding therefrom and into the still larger counterbore 63. When such individual holders are to be used for the storage or transportation of a sterilized needle, a cap 64 is applied. Upon removal of the cap, the needle head 'is exposed for reception of a syringe while the substantially radial end walls'and arcuate sidewalls of the counterbore 63 retain the needle against rotation as the syringe is secured within the needle and before removing the needle froin'the holder.

7 From the foregoing, it will beseen that the present invention provides a novel and improved means for the support of one or more hypodermic needles ina manner which permits exposure of the upper end of the-head thereof for the reception of a syringe, but it retains the needle against rotation so as to facilitate the securement of the syringe thereto by relatively rotary motion, and permits accommodation of various sizes of needles in a single holder. It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific structural details presented, but that numerous changes, modifications and the full'use of equivalents'may' be resorted to in the practice of the'invention without departure of the spirit or scope thereof as outlined in the appended claims. I claim:

1. A- device of the character described including an integral circular member having a disk-like body defining wan v v e a plurality of concentric circular series of round apertures and a plurality of integral concentric upstanding flanges constituting walls adjacent said apertures.

2. A device of the character described including an integral circular member having a disk-like body defining a plurality of concentric circular series of round apertures and a plurality of integral concentric upstanding flanges constituting walls adjacent said apertures, said structure further including a cylindrical holder adapted to removably receive said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Waddell Ian. 21, Pruden Nov. 10, Cohen Mar. 5, Conway Mar. 14, Son June 17, Poitras Jan. 26, Rose Mar. 15, 

